Do supply chain managers “play to the gallery” in the metaverse? A public self-awareness view

Purpose The study investigates the impact of the metaverse on supply chain managers’ decision-making from a behavioural aspect. It explores how an immersive virtual environment reduces the behavioural biases of the pull-to-centre effect and risk aversion of decision-makers in the Newsvendor setting. Design/methodology/approach The research conducts several laboratory experiments to investigate and validate the hypotheses. Findings The study establishes that supply chain managers feel more observed in the metaverse environment. The virtual proximity with the team members enhances their public self-awareness and willingness to incorporate others’ perspectives. They operate at a higher construal level to facilitate a collectivist approach to making decisions, resulting in reduced behavioural biases. Practical implications The findings indicate that the metaverse may foster efficiencies in individual decision-making, thus reducing the hesitancy in adopting advanced technologies such as the metaverse. Less susceptibility to behavioural biases may motivate supply chain managers to overcome hesitancy in adopting to the metaverse environment, cited as a significant barrier to the proliferation of the metaverse in supply chains. Originality/value The public self-awareness view offers an insightful view of understanding the decision-making process of supply chain managers in the metaverse. The framework enhances the understanding of how virtual proximity with team members may manifest in a collectivist approach to decision-making. Highlights